The Darkness Rising Within
by Skylanthus
Summary: The Wizarding World has recieved the news of Harry's demise, but has it really happened? Chpt. 4 is finally up!
1. Chapter One: A devestating News Flash

Title: The Rising Darkness  
  
Summary: Action/Adventure/Angst/Romance  
  
Spoilers: All 4 books  
  
Disclaimer: Hmmm...let's see, if I change these records here…move those there. Yes! I now own Harry Potter!! Wait…yes I've taken my medication. What are you doing? Where am I going? Help!!  
  
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1  
  
The circular rooms' windows overlooked the entire span of the vast lake south of Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And through the light mist settling, Albus Dumbledore stared silently at the surging black waters and at the ominous shadow of the Dark Forest, which marked the boundary of School Grounds. Below the treetops, he noticed a shimmering light bobbing through the tangled braches. Hagrid, the half giant groundskeeper and teacher at Hogwarts must be making his usual rounds. Dumbledore mused on the man for a moment; Hagrid was always persecuted by his bloodline yet had remained one of the kindest men Albus Dumbledore knew. And he had met a lot over the past hundred and fifty years.  
  
A gentle tap came from the direction of the large oak door that led to the outside world and pulled Dumbledores' mind from the grounds and back inside his school. Turning around, he glanced at the room he kept his office in. Rich blue and gold colored walls and a marble floor outlined the room. A large mahogany desk and a high scarlet chair were his workplace. Cabinets covered in variable trinkets stood against the walls and above those: pictures of former Headmasters. These were asleep at the moment, at peace with their worlds.  
  
Facing the door, he looked at the perch next to it and at his red and gold plumed phoenix, Fawkes, asleep upon it.  
  
The knocking came again; more incessant this time and it roused Fawkes, who trilled a note before tucking his head underneath one wing.  
  
"Come in," he sighed and went to his desk, sitting behind it and waiting for the arrival.  
  
And as he sat, the door opened to allow a woman with ebony hair up in a tight bun and steel gray eyes behind square glasses. Her emerald robes were ruffled from a long broom flight, and she was panting lightly, as though she had finished a long run.  
  
Peering at her from over his half-moon spectacles he smiled and beckoned her further inside.  
  
"Minerva, a pleasure. I thought you were shopping with Xiomara in London. We weren't expecting you back 'till Sunday."  
  
"As were we planning, until I read this." She pulled a folded pile pf thick parchment from a pocket and placed it on his blotter.  
  
Glancing at it, he noticed it was the "Daily Prophet" the wizarding newsletter. He glanced up at her, slightly confused and she sat in an opposite armchair in front of the desk.  
  
"Look on page three."  
  
He did so and found a picture of a well-to-do Muggle house or…what used to be a Muggle house. The entire second story was torn apart and had fallen into the primary floor. Men and women everywhere in Ministry of Magic uniforms searched through piles of rubble. And near the place were the photo had been taken were two black body bags.  
  
"It looks familiar—"  
  
McGonagall cut him off with a wave of her hand. "As it should. That's Number Four…Privet Drive."  
  
Suddenly a terrible sickness washed through his stomach. "Harry." He only said the name, but that was enough to convey the terror he now felt.  
  
McGonagall nodded silently and he could see the starting of tears forming in her eyes. "There were…there are…no survivors as of that printing." She stopped and blinked furiously.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
She nodded quickly and averted her gaze to stare out the window. "It seemed to be a random attack. The team there, they're not letting the reporters get much information."  
  
"They have their reasons." Dumbledore removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. McGonagall mearly stared at him, silent and doleful.  
  
"I must meet with the Minister." He said suddenly, jarring her out of the quiet.  
  
"Albus?"  
  
Dumbledore rose and walked to his door. "There are more answers than what that said," he gestured to the newspaper. "And I want them. Voldemort—" McGonagall shivered at the name but remained silent. "He shouldn't of, it was almost impossible for him to get near Harry while he stayed there." And with those shaky words he twisted the doorknob, opened it, stepped out into the stairwell and left.  
  
McGonagall was left sitting in the chair, dozens of questions flitting around her sharp mind. With a sigh of half annoyance, half amusement she looked to the now awake Fawkes. "Sometimes, he makes me truly wonder Fawkes."  
  
She could have sworn that Fawkes agreed.  
  
The Ministry of Magic when Dumbledore arrived was hectic. Witches and Wizards almost ran each other over as they hurried to file paperwork, answer phones, and speak to balls of flames with peoples' worried faces in them. Others, Dumbledore assumed they were from the attack site were sitting around in empty chairs stunned. Dumbledore then had one of his many questions answered: The Ministry of Magic or at least some of them knew of Harry Potters' disappearance or probable death.  
  
He brushed past several harried witches and leaned to speak to a wizard idle for the moment. "Do you know where the Minister is?"  
  
The man turned to him, green eyes blurred from lack of sleep. "Most likely in his office, Sir."  
  
"Thank you." With robes of deep purple billowing, he turned and walked to the back hallway where Fudge's office was located.  
  
Announcing his presence with a sharp rap on the oaken door Dumbledore stepped into the circular office of Cornelius Fudge.  
  
The Minister of Magic was a small portly man always dressed in some shade of green pinstriped suit. His matching bowler hat was hanging on the rack to the right of Dumbledore. Fudge also, in Dumbledores opinion, had little common sense. The man had not taken the advice to remove the Dementors from Azkaban and now the guards were slowly disappearing.  
  
Fudge looked up from the papers he had been writing and smiled wearily. "Albus! It's wonderful you're here. I need—"  
  
"Has there been any news on Harry?" Dumbledore started with no preamble, he was tired, worried, and annoyed. The Minister bit his lower lip and shook his head.  
  
"We've found the bodies of a Vernon Dursley, Dudley Dursley, and Petunia Dursley. Harry Potter cannot be found. We have teams there searching for any sign of him. He's either dead—"  
  
"Do not say that." Dumbledores voice held an icy edge. "Would you wish the entire magical world to lose hope?"  
  
"The boy cannot be found Albus! You-Know-Who's won this time." Fudge rose from his desk and wrung his hands together.  
  
Dumbledore frowned at the smaller man. "If you say that Voldemort—" he ignored the flinch Fudge gave, "has won, you might as well allow him to." Then, the reality of just what the Minister was, a small man with no hope at all, sunk into Dumbledore and he shook his head regretfully. "I do hope Cornelius, that you will keep me informed. I must return to Hogwarts."  
  
"Albus, you can't surely expect the school to run!"  
  
"Where else will the children be safe?" Albus Dumbledore then turned on his heel and apparated, leaving Fudge to stare at the spot he had once been.  
  
From the shadows of the office, Lucius Malfoy stepped from his hiding spot and clapped a hand on Fudges shoulder. "Make sure Dumbledore does not get his hands on that boy before I do…or else." He smoothed his robes and walked to the door. As he was halfway out of the office, he paused, turned, and smiled wickedly at the Minister. "You know, your wife is rather pretty."  
  
With that, he was gone and Fudge again was left to watch. He shook the feeling of Malfoys touch off and returned to his desk. 


	2. Chapter Two: Flight into the Bizarre

Disclaimer: Um, I am now going to a therapist who is trying to convince me that Harry Potter does NOT belong to me.  
  
Spoilers: All four HP books. If you haven't read them…do so.  
  
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While Cornelius Fudge was trying to concentrate on his work, and as Albus Dumbledore returned to Hogwarts where McGonagall pelted him with endless questions, the main worry on both men's mind was slowly coming to.  
  
"Ow…" Harry Potter sat up and rubbed at his head where a very large bump was forming. "Oh, that hurt." The young boy of fifteen glanced around and noticed the world was extremely blurry. "Great. Glasses, glasses," he scanned the ground around him and saw flowers, tiny weird bugs, roots, and ankle-high grass but no sign of the black glasses. Wait…flowers? Roots? Harry shook his head and scooted backwards and heard a soft crunch. "Found my glasses." He muttered wryly, picking up the frames.  
  
Checking them to see that they weren't that badly damaged, he put them on and looked around the small clearing where he had landed after that large explosion.  
  
Harry had been copying down a paragraph from 1,000 Herbs and Fungi when a tinkle of broken glass had sounded off downstairs. He had looked to see men wearing robes of the deepest red surrounding the Dursleys.  
  
Uncle Vernon had spotted him and shouted for him to run for it, that his magical stuff was in their bedroom closet, and that…to take care of himself. That last part had puzzled Harry as he dug through the trunk to grab his broom, wand, and a small bag of money. He had just freed Hedwig from her cage in his room when the door had burst open and four red-robed men had walked in talking in tongue. Then, after that Harry could only recall the explosion and a falling sensation.  
  
Now he was here, wherever here was. And apparently, he was alone. Getting up, Harry winced as a few muscled screamed in pain on his lower back, reaching to check with a hand he felt long scratches and a wet sticky substance.  
  
Grumbling Harry began a slow walk to the enormous trees, larger than the ones in the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts. Harry smiled grimly at the thought of what everyone would think when he didn't show up on the Hogwarts Express in a month. He could almost image the panicked expression on Hermione and Ron's faces, the glee on Malfoy and Snapes and the worry on Dumbledore and McGonagalls.  
  
As he was musing over the world he had left behind; wherever he was definitely wasn't it he didn't catch the rustle of bushes or the sharp snap of a twig until the spell had missed his ear and burnt a quaffle-sized hole in the tree in front of him.  
  
"What the—ah!" Behind him, stepping out of the foliage were three red- robed men all talking excitedly and pointing their wands at him. Harry groaned and dove into the ferns in front of him not really caring where he landed, just as long as it went father away from the hunting party. Scrambling to his feet, he took off weaving through the dense underbrush of the forest luckily managing to dodge several nasty looking spells as he did. As the voices behind him grew faint, Harry slowed a bit and turned to see if he could still spot the red robes.  
  
Unfortunately that wasn't where his eyes were needed the most. He slammed into a body and was thrown to the ground.  
  
"If you so much as breathe Groundling, I'll allow the BloodSantices to find your body." A familiar feminine voice murmured into his ear. A rustle of clothing and then he felt something being tied around his wrists, although not tying them together. "Get up."  
  
He obeyed the command.  
  
"Turn around slowly."  
  
Turning around, his jaw dropped and he laughed in relief. "Hermione?! Hermi, it's me!"  
  
"What the blazes are you talking about groundling?" the girl whispered, glaring at him. "If you don't shut up we'll both be killed!"  
  
"But Hermione, it's me, Harry." Harry pointed to his scar, and his glasses. "See? Me!"  
  
"Is that your name Groundling? Harry? Very well, come on then." And she bolted into the trees, not checking to see if he followed. Harry frowned, confused but the nearing voices made him continue.  
  
So now Harry found himself running away from probable death with a Hermione look-alike. At first he was confused, now he prayed silently for this dream to end, for he didn't like the feeling of Hermione not knowing who he was and not knowing about their friendship. Mentally, Harry believed that was worse. And as they continued forward, Harry felt a nagging feeling that this girl wasn't at all what she seemed. He hoped that was a good thought.  
  
Soon, they ran out to the edge of a giant gorge overlooking a massive river below. Harry closed his eyes and reminded himself that he had been higher on his broomstick.  
  
"Queasy, Harry?" 'Hermione' called out from somewhere behind him. "Well, move aside."  
  
"Whoa, you're not going to—Hermione?" he eyed the girl cautiously. "I mean, there's another way right?"  
  
"Not to safety there isn't." And with a grin the girl ran towards the edge and dove off.  
  
"Hey!" Harry called after her falling body. "He—huh?"  
  
As she fell, Harry saw her remove the cloak and tuck it into a pouch on her waist. Then, like this happened everyday for her, she spread open her arms and allowed the wind to catch under her wings--wings?  
  
So that's what had been nagging Harry. He was running for his life with bird-girl. Oh this makes sense a tiny voice commented in his head while the girl flew back up to his eye-level.  
  
"Okay, your turn."  
  
Harry laughed at that. "Um, yeah, I have no wings?"  
  
The girl bit her lip and sent him a cross expression. "Have you never seen an Avitaa before?"  
  
"A what?"  
  
"Never mind, just jump off."  
  
"You're kidding."  
  
"Do it." The girl lazily flipped and smirked at him. "Or are you afraid of heights?"  
  
"No, I'm more afraid of plunging to my death."  
  
"As much as I would enjoy that Groundling, that's saved for later." A shout of finding made the girl growl softly under her breath. "Do it now. Or die."  
  
As Harry backed away from the cliff to make his dive he felt a tingling sensation in his wrists and glanced to see the bracelets she had placed on him expanding to cover his entire arms.  
  
He gazed on amazed as patterns of feathers replaced his skin.  
  
"You can stare in wonder later, now jump and allow the air to do its part!"  
  
"Here goes…" Harry jogged to the cliff and without allowing himself second thoughts, dove off.  
  
Falling through the air while still conscious was a feeling new to Harry as every other Quidditch game he fell off, he was either blacked out or too dazed to remember it.  
  
"Spread open your arms!" Harry gritted and tried to, the air was too fast, keeping his arms pinned to his sides. "No, flip feet down and do it you idiot!" Oh. Doing a clumsy flip, Harry righted himself falling and opened his arms.  
  
And felt like he was going through a portkey as the wind caught his wings. Once realizing his wasn't going to go 'splat' on the rocks below Harry felt an instant rush of excitement like he had during Quidditch matches.  
  
"Now flap." The girl was again at his eye-level. Getting the hang of flying, they flew off and parallel to the cliff's face as above them the Red Robes came out into the setting sunlight.  
  
Laughing at their chasers plight, the two went off and flew out of sight.  
  
"So, what's your name?" Harry asked after an hour of flying. The sun had finally gone down and a large harvest moon had risen to take its place.  
  
"Well, you seem to think it's Hermione but since you asked: it's Rain."  
  
"Rain?"  
  
"Yeah, problem?"  
  
"No, not at all. You just reminded me of someone."  
  
"You think I couldn't tell?" Rain shook her head with a chuckle. "Anyways Groundling. When we get to the village, you can relocate your town."  
  
"Town?"  
  
"Un-huh, you know, the place where you Groundlings and Earth-Diggers live."  
  
"What's an Earth-Digger?"  
  
Rain shot him a suspiscious glance. "The ones that aren't in tuned with their inner powers."  
  
"Muggles?"  
  
"I believe that's what you Groundlings call them, yes."  
  
"So Groundlings are Wizards. Why do you call them that?"  
  
"Well, like my race, you can control elements of power. The seven elements."  
  
"Play that by me again? Seven Elements?"  
  
"You must be a squib or something…the seven elements are fire, water, earth, air, mind, soul, and time, although no ones really been able to use that for eons now."  
  
"Ok…ay."  
  
But before Harry could truly comment on that Rain quieted him and slowed the pace. "We're almost there, just over these trees…" and screamed in terror as what was over the trees came into view.  
  
A black, gaping hole was where a village must have been for there were still frames of houses remaining in the ground. Harry could just make out red robes when something struck him blindly. His last thought was of making sure that Rain was alright but the word that he spoke was entirely different.  
  
~*~*  
  
And somewhere in a small town outside of London, a teenaged girl woke up from a fretful sleep and heard her name whispered in the darkness of her room. Hermione…  
  
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(Author's Notes) Well, this story came to me at 1:00 five nights ago and I just wanted to see how people would react to it. I didn't expect this! Please let me know if you want more, and I'll try to post something new every two to three days. Or I could write out a couple of longer chapters and post them in about a week. Lemme know which way you want this posted and I'll go for the majority.  
  
Stoneheart: Thank you for that review, and the only way I'll allow you to burn your stories is if I can throw a couple of mine in instead. Believe me, yours are just as good as mine. And maybe you'll get your H/H, the characters are throwing hissy fits. Voldie wants a bigger part and that's throwing everyone into a big whirlwind.  
  
Dash and Stash: I promise more is on the way. ( 


	3. Dream a little dream

Disclaimer: Honestly, if I was J.K Rowling or even owned these characters, why would I write fanfiction?? Spoilers: Everything that has happened in the HP books  
  
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Gagged, that was a new feeling for Harry. The bitter taste of an old cloth filled the inside of his mouth and try as he might, he couldn't spit the nasty thing out. Eyes opening he found himself tied as well, and placed spread-eagle upon a black marble table. Around him statues of unfamiliar deities stood unfeeling and ever watching. Flames from many torches flickered on the matching black walls and Harry could hear a faint rythmatic beating of drums somewhere around him. Realizing he could lift his head he checked his arms and saw the wings that were there were now gone.so were the bracelets. His first thought was that Rain had betrayed him somehow but then the memory of her being knocked out as well filtered back into his mind.  
  
"Ncuuh foy Ncuuh," the strange words floated around him almost mockingly. "Rtqswmw fqw Sdduyfsrcsfo." again the strange words rose and fell with a beat almost in time with the pounding of the drums. Painfully the rhythm drilled itself into Harry's brain and there was no way he could block it. If only I had my wand! He thought fervently, hands closing into fists.  
  
"Harry." the voice poured over him causing a chill to fall. He knew that voice, knew it like no other. "Your blood is my blood." Harry looked to where the speaker should have been and saw no one. "Your life is my life." Again Harry jerked his head to see the speaker and now he caught a glimpse of black hair and unfeeling cold jade eyes. As he made to focus on the voices' owner, a splash of ice cold water poured onto his face and he rose with a start.  
  
***********  
  
"Thought you would never wake up." Came the cool collected voice of Rain. Harry was upright and soaked from the shoulders up.  
  
"Where-"  
  
"We thought you were dead. You fell fifty feet."  
  
I've fallen from higher Harry mused dryly but keeping that to himself. Wiping his face with a dirty sleeve he blinked and looked around. At least four Avitaas were standing in a huddle around him. Three males and Rain. All of them were covered with soot and two had their wings/arms torn in few areas. Even Rains' wings were matted with dirt and dried blood. Her brown eyes followed his gaze and shifted to hide the feathery appendages from his view.  
  
"Don't worry about that. Are you feeling okay?"  
  
Swallowing Harry only nodded in reply and decided not to mention the odd dream. Just to make sure, he checked and sure enough the golden bracelets were still attached to his wrists and they shimmered in the pale moonlight.  
  
"Your wings were only temporary. They'll form only when I say they can." Rain commented, not knowing Harry's true line of thought.  
  
"Wh." Harry licked his lips, his mouth felt like a desert. "What happened?"  
  
"Tis a case of mistaken Identity Lad." Harry looked at the male who spoke and was instantly reminded of Cedric Diggory. "The whole Village was destroyed and when we saw you we assumed the worst."  
  
"Why?" Harry wondered, trying to stand. Rain placed a firm hand on his shoulder and prevented him from rising completely.  
  
"We feared the Dark Lord had come for again." The youngest of the group piped up. Again Harry connected him with a person he knew. Colin Creevy. His eyes were full of concern and there was a faint trace of fear.  
  
"What doe he mean 'Dark Lord'?"  
  
Rain sighed and kneeled down before launching into the story.  
  
*****  
  
The letter from Molly Weasley came more soon than she had expected. McGonagall had barely reached her own quarters after extracting as much information from Dumbledore as she possibly could and already the old owl Errol was waiting on the perch her owl "Hermes" usually sat upon. Waiting a while and removing her green over robes she walked over and removed the letter tied to the owls leg.  
  
"You may rest as much as you need to Errol." She offered, slitting the letter open with a fingernail. The owl gave a feeble hoot of thanks and buried his head underneath his wing.  
  
Minerva, Please tell me that what the Daily Prophet is printing isn't true. You-Know- Who couldn't of gotten to Harry---could he? The whole wizarding world is talking about it. I saw the article this morning and will Hogwarts still be open this school year? Arthur was pulled away from his job to investigate this and I'm heading over to my Mothers to comfort her. I hope Hogwarts can still take the kids. Please write as soon as you can,  
  
With Love, Molly  
  
McGonagall folded the letter up and went over to her desk. With all thoughts placed upon responding to the letter, she hardly realized the knocking on her door. Setting down her quill and grumbling, she went to open it to find a smug Sybil Trelawney standing there looking as always as an oversized bug.  
  
"Yes Sybil?"  
  
"I was right."  
  
"Sybil, that bet ended a month ago. We already established that Sprout was growing things other than the regular plants." McGonagall said and made to close the door when Trelawney spoke again.  
  
"No, about Potter. I was right."  
  
It took all of McGonagalls' willpower to prevent herself from attacking the smirking woman standing before her. "Leave."  
  
"He had bad fortune all around him, you knew that Minerva."  
  
"Shove it Sybil." And the door closed with a satisfying slam. Returning to her desk, McGonagall blinked furiously to prevent the tears brimming. "For heavens sake, Minerva, he's a student."  
  
And your Godson.a small voice in the back of her mind sounded off. McGonagall blinked once more and then allowed the first tear to fall. She recalled the first time Lily and James had brought Harry to visit them,; how Harry had instantly taken a liking to her; how Lily had broached the subject because how her, James, and Sirius were going to become Aurors and how she wanted Minerva just in case anything happened to any of them. McGonagall had promised and then watched as Dumbledore preformed the Fidelius Charm.  
  
Shaking her head to clear the memories McGonagall simply rested her head upon her arms and finally cried for Harry.  
  
*******  
  
(Authors' Note) Sorry it took so long to post and that it's only a short chapter. The next one will be a lot longer as it finally explains what happened to Harry and who's after him. Review please or I might not find the heart to continue..joking! 


	4. Answers aren't always what we seek...

Disclaimer: Hopefully, everyone reading this will realize that I am not the Great Goddess J.K Rowling. If you don't, I'm flattered but I'm not.trust me.  
  
Spoilers: Let's see.everything that has been in all books  
  
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"Before I even mention the Dark Lords' name Harry. I think you also have some explaining." Rain fell silent and stared at him expectantly. The others around her followed suit.  
  
Harry took a breath, mentally convinced himself that these people were on his side and launched into his tale. "My name is Harry Potter." he stopped suddenly when the Colin Creevy look-alike flinched. The Colin he knew had NEVER done that, and that was a new sight for Harry. He shook himself and continued. "I'm a Wizard."  
  
"We established that fact earlier," Rain cut in impatiently. "Why are you wearing odd clothes? Why don't you know any of the basic elements? Why do you look exactly like-" she stopped and checked around the small thicket they had lodged in for the night. "Like the Dark Lord himself."  
  
"I look nothing like Voldemort!" Harry exclaimed, getting to his feet and regretting the movement as soon as he had done it. "Granted we have things in common like being a Parslemouth. But that doesn't mean I look like him! I didn't ask for any robed men trying to kill me! I didn't ask to be sent to a weird world where I know no one and yet I've seen each and every one of you! Does it look like I want to be trapped here?! No!" Harry trailed off and took several breaths before sitting back down. At "Creevy's look Harry snarled. "What?"  
  
".What's a Voldemort?" 'Creevy' asked timidly after Harry apologized for yelling at him.  
  
"The Dark Lord..you know.You-Know-Who? He-who-must-not-be-named? Tom Riddle?" At each of those titles the Avitaa's gave blank looks and shook their heads. "None of those ring any bells?" the Avitaa's nodded this time.  
  
"Our Dark Lord calls himself the "Black Phoenix." Rain mentioned, her wings slowly mending together as she spoke. Harry watched on silently as the feathers elongated to replace lost ones and as skin and bone twisted together. The final outcomes pattern was a little off but it wasn't as mangled as before. At Harry's stare Rain peaked down at her arm and shrugged. "It's a natural healing of my kind."  
  
"Oh." Harry suddenly felt foolish about his previous outburst and turned to the Creevy look-alike. "What's your name?"  
  
"Iykit.but friends call me Twitter." He smiled and came to check Harry's bracelets. "You're a luck Groundling to get these, gosh you must have been a legend in your village. Looking exactly like the Dark Lord himself and befriending an Avitaa!"  
  
"He didn't befriend me Twitter, I wasn't going to allow those damned Priests kill another look-alike again." She peered at Harry and gasped softly. "But I've never seen one as good as you are."  
  
Harry blushed then realized what she really meant. "Oh.well, I'm not from here."  
  
"*And* you're from another world!!??.You're too cool!"  
  
"Shush Twitter!" Rain barked and then reached a hand to Harry's forehead, brushing away the unruly bangs. "As I thought. Down to the scar even."  
  
"But the Black Phoenix has had that scar since birth! No one can duplicate that!" Diggory exclaimed, also coming closer for a better look. "Impossible."  
  
Rain leaned back and allowed Harry breathing room once more. "Either he is telling the truth-"  
  
"I am!"  
  
"Or he's the Black Phoenix himself. But that scar's real." Rain's gaze shifted from Harry to Diggory and back. "Where'd you get that Harry?"  
  
"Lord Voldemort put it upon me after using the Death Curse on me."  
  
Diggory apparently hadn't tuned in on the conversation past the scar incident for he suddenly blurted out. "But then that means the Prophecy is true!"  
  
Rain sent him a look and rolled her eyes. "I'm so glad you could figure that out."  
  
"Prophecy?"  
  
Rain turned all attention back to Harry and nodded. "Yes. There's an old saying that a parallel world lies against this one. And in that world you have a twin, so to speak. And one aspect of yourself is completely opposite. For an example, an Elder of mine is an old softie.a pushover you might call her. But in your world she might be extremely strict."  
  
"You're talking about Lady Athena?" Diggory laughed. "I can't see her going one day without acting like a Mother Hen."  
  
"McGonagall." Harry mused as the description and name clicked.  
  
"Is that what she's called? Anyways, the trait that is opposite is the strongest one you have. If yours was to be "Good, Honest, and Loyal"."  
  
"That's three traits."  
  
"Shut up Narcissus." Rain snapped. "The Black Phoenix's trait will become "Evil, Nasty and Dishonest."  
  
"Describes him to a tee." The third male Avitaa muttered.  
  
"And Narcissus over here is extremely in love with himself."  
  
"Cedric placed others before him." Harry mentioned, the image of Cedric popping up in his mind.  
  
"Wish he'd teach Narcissus a thing or two." Rain said wistfully before smirking at Narcissus. "You're getting the picture.good."  
  
"So.the BloodSantices.why were they after me?"  
  
"I told you about the seven elements of magic right?" Harry nodded. "Well.to control them fully and to even think of gaining the Mind and Time elements one must be full."  
  
"Be full?"  
  
"No twin.just you."  
  
"So he wants to kill me."  
  
"Yes.and no. He wants your blood. The only way to become "One" so to speak is to let you spill your blood in a ceremony." Rain shrugged and made to stand.  
  
Harry grimaced, " Right.how do we stop him?"  
  
"We don't." Narcissus also stood and spread out his wings, they were a tie- dyed pattern of black, yellow, and white and they stretched far past Harry's arm-length and well above his head. "There's never been any reason to worry about the ceremony because the gateway between worlds never could be opened."  
  
"Well, that was just proven wrong." Twitter commented, reaching out a hand to help Harry.  
  
"True." Rain looked around; ran a hand through her matted hair; brushed off some soot that had smudged itself on her wing and then looked back to Harry's wingless arms. "We need shelter for the night."  
  
*******  
  
Hermione was beginning to wear a two-foot hole in her carpet as she waited for Ron's response to arrive. She had woken up the other morning just before dawn with a sudden feeling that someone dear to her was in trouble. And then the Daily Prophet, late as usual because of her connections with the Wizarding World had shown up that morning with that awful front-page. And right after that, Pig came with a message from Ron telling her it was what it looked like.  
  
Crookshanks had picked up on her mood for he was putting all effort into comforting her, but the fifth year Gryffindor wasn't taking anything from it. Sighing, knowing his efforts were futile Crookshanks hopped up on the bed and curled there, waiting with his mistress for the letter to arrive.  
  
"It can't be Harry, right Crookshanks?" Hermiones' voice pulled the ginger feline out of the sleep he had fallen into and he looked to her for more answers. "You-Know-Who wasn't able to get to Harry there..even Dumbledore said so!" His mistress had apparently realized what her actions were doing to that soft rug and had found herself a seat in the leather computer chair on the other side of the room. Beside her, on the desktop was a folded piece of parchment. And next to that was a thick envelope bearing the controlled fluid script of a 'Professor McGonagall'. Its' content was spread over the surface, the only spot of chaos in that neat orderly room.  
  
A knock came to the door and soon the face of Hermiones mother poked itself around the frame. "You wanted to see me Sweetheart?"  
  
Hermione nodded and sniffed. "Professor McGonagall is asking for me and Ron to head to Hogwarts early this year."  
  
"How?"  
  
"By Floo Powder." Hermione explained now going around her room and collecting things to go into the large trunk she used.  
  
"What for?"  
  
Hermione paused and Crookshanks could see the lightning-quick thought process. She turned to her mother and placed on a very fake smile. "Prefects need to be there a month early to learn what we're supposed to do over the year. "  
  
"You made Prefect?" her mothers face broke out into a proud smile. "Oh, Honey, that's wonderful!" she came into the room and wrapped her daughter in an embrace.  
  
"It is, isn't it?" Hermione again placed the fake smile and then pulled away from the hug. "She wants us there by Dinner."  
  
Now Hermione's mothers face had become crestfallen but she perked up again. "Well, I'll just have to tell your father the news.do you have everything for the school year?"  
  
Hermione glanced at the week-old parchment lying on her dresser and then to the assorted bags and parcels they had brought a few days before. "Yes Mother."  
  
"When will you be leaving?"  
  
"As soon as I'm ready.she sent this by First-Class and is waiting for my arrival soon." Hermione finished up packing while her mother watched on.  
  
"Very well.remember to take good care of your teeth! I saw those sweets you brought home. And write me as soon as you get there." Her mother pecked her check before bustling out of the room and downstairs.  
  
"I know I'm not a good liar Crookshanks.stop looking at me like that!" Hermione said as she closed the lid on her trunk and placed it by the small fireplace in her room. "And come here."  
  
With the air of someone doing this against his will but not going to show it to you thank you very much, Crookshanks yawned, jumped off; padded to the trunk and sniffed at it once before allowing Hermione to pick him up.  
  
Grabbing the small amount of Floo Powder McGonagall had sent, Hermione tossed it into the flames and shouted "Hogwarts!" before stepping in with her trunk and Crookshanks.  
  
********  
  
"Is it true? Malfoy has stated it many times.but we know your true place by Dumbledore." The low hiss was still barely an excuse for a voice yet Snape knew it was more powerful than a day ago or even a week.  
  
"Yes, my Lord.the boy has disappeared and even Dumbledore knows not his whereabouts."  
  
"Are you sure?!" the hiss grew louder and Snape felt the slightest twinge of fear play at him before he regained his normal cool.  
  
"My Lord.I have succeeded in making the Old Fool believe I'm on his side. I'm his most trusted advisor, besides that Gryffindor wench Minerva."  
  
Voldemort moved from the plush chair he had been sitting in and came before Severus Snape. He had gained back the imitating posture he had once had and his eyes glowed with cruelty. "But you still aren't mine." Taking a rattling breath, he continued. "Go back to Dumbledore.find out all you can about the boy and return to me here." "Yes, my Lord." Snape turned to leave when the pressure of a hand fell onto his shoulder.  
  
"I forgave you Severus.something I rarely do. It will only happen once." The fingers curled and created a vice-like grip on the Potion Masters shoulder. "Make sure you'll have no need of another Pardon."  
  
"Of course." And as quickly as possible without causing much suspicion, Snape stole away from the manor and into the night. With a black cloak billowing about him and his pale skin almost translucent in the moonlight he looked like Death himself. Turning his head to the left; to the right; and pausing for any sound behind him, he took out a small crystal orb from his pocket and muttered an incantation over it. "He has no clue either."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~* (Authors' Notes) Phew! Another chapter done! I spent a night working on this thing and writers block hit many times. I put the fireplace in Hermiones room part in because while I stayed over in England I too had a small fireplace and it was so cool. Since I like Hermie.she gets one too. And the Owls with a "First-Class" I think I read in one of the books somewhere  
  
Autumn Ice: Don't worry; this story confuses me as well. Ron was also joining in on Voldemorts side about not getting any screen time. Sybil was miffed that I made her off to be heartless and McGonagall was annoyed with the crying part. 


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